Mechanism for cutting unfilled concrete pile casings



Dec. 27, 1955 c. L. GUILD 2,723,138

MECHANISM FOR CUTTING UNFILLED CONCRETE FILE CASINGS Filed Feb. 25, 1953 N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent MECHANISM FOR CUTTING UNFILLED CONCRETE PILE CASINGS Charles L. Guild, East Providence, R. 1., assignor to C. L. Guild Construction Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 25, 1953, Serial No. 338,681

4 Claims. (Cl. 30108) The present invention relates to the art of earth enginecring and has particular reference to a novel arrangement for cutting away the unfilled upper metal casing portions of encased concrete piles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cutting mechanism which is insertable within the upper end of an earth embedded metal casing of a concrete pile for severing the metal casing below the level of the earth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutting mechanism for severing the earth embedded metal casing of a concrete pile above the concrete pile.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutting mechanism having cam actuated cutter blades for severing earth embedded metal casings.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a cutting mechanism for severing earth embedded casings having cutting blades which pierce and cut the metal casing below the level of the earth.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of the upper portion of a metal encased concrete pile embedded in the earth with the novel cutting mechanism, partially broken away, in position for piercing and cutting the casing;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the cutting blades in piercing and cutting relation to the metal casing, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

It has been found desirable to sever the unfilled upper metal casing portion of encased concrete piles below the level of the earth in order to remove the metal casing portion which is above the level of the concrete. To this end, I provide a cylindrical hollow housing which is adapted for insertion within the upper end of the metallic casing of a concrete pile embedded below the earths surface, and which includes an anchor base with a vertical shaft, the shaft being slidably secured in the housing, and two cutters pivotally secured to the inside of the housing, the cutters being directed outwardly on contact with the top surface of the anchor base as a result of the relative movement of the housing to the shaft, whereby the cutters first puncture and then cut the metal casing. The size of the cutters are preferably such that each downward movement of the housing upon a blow struck at the top of the housing circumferentially cuts one half of the metal casing, a handle bar being provided whereby the housing may be rotated to position the cutters for completing the cutting and the severance of the metal casing upper portion.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the upper portion of a metal casing 11 enclosing a concrete pile 12 2,728,138 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 which is embedded in the earth 13 below the earths level 14.

A cutting mechanism 15 includes a cylindrical hollow housing 16 which has an upper cross guide plate 17 having a central opening 18, and in spaced parallel relation a lower plate 19 having a central opening 20, both openings being aligned for slidably receiving a shaft 21 which is threaded at both ends and has an anchor device 22 of conical shape mounted on its lower end to provide a base for the cutting mechanism, the device 22 having a central internally threaded hole 23 for threaded engagement with the shaft, which is secured thereon by a nut 24 as illustrated, the nut 24 seating in a recessed cavity 25 at the bottom of the anchor base. The anchor device 22 has a flat lower surface 26 for resting top of the concrete pile as shown in Fig. 1, and a downwardly outwardly slanting conical upper surface 27.

Two brackets 28, 29 are secured to the housing in diametrically opposite relation to each other adjacent the inside bottom edge 30 of the housing, each bracket having upright fiat fins 31, 32 in spaced parallel relation with holes 33, 34 in transverse alignment. A hinge plate 35 having a central opening 36 is pivotally received between the flat fins, and resiliently connected to the housing by a spring 36a, a bolt 37 passing through the aligned holes 33, 34, and 36 and being locked in place by a lock nut 38.

Each hinge plate carries a heavy metal cutter 39 formed with a flat top 40 of generally triangular shape, the bottom surface 41 of the cutter being arcuate or parabolic as illustrated and forming a curved cutting edge 42 with the fiat top which is of relatively large radius to provide two piercing tips 43, 44. The angular relation of the sides 45, 46 of the cutter is preferably approximately degrees, whereby each cutter cuts through an arc of approximately 90 degrees, complete severance thus requiring two cutting strokes.

The housing is normally held in position with the cutters out of contact with the anchor base, as shown in Fig. l, by a coil spring 47 mounted on the shaft between the upper plate and a lock nut 48 on the threaded upper end of the shaft and by the springs 36a. Two nuts 49, 50 threaded onto the shaft end and positioned above the upper plate are adjustable to regulate the vertical movement range of the housing in relation to the shaft, which remains stationary. The coil spring 47 is strong enough to hold the housing in normally raised position, and becomes compressed as illustrated in Fig. 2 when the housing is struck and the cutters are forced downwardly and outwardly by contact with the surface of the anchor base, to pierce and cut the casing.

A turning bar 51 is inserted through diametrically aligned holes 52, 53 at the top of the housing, to turn the housing, thus positioning the blades in cutting relation to the casing.

The operation of the novel cutter mechanism is now clear. The housing of the mechanism, being hollow, encloses the working parts so as to permit the easy insertion and lowering of the mechanism through the exposed end of the metal casing until the anchor base lies flat on the top of the concrete pile. In this position the cutters are out of contact with the anchor base, due to the lifting action of the coil spring 47 which forces the top plate 17 up against the stop nuts. The mechanism is put into operation by striking a blow on the top of the housing; this impact impels the housing down and forces the pivotally attached cutters against the top surface of the anchor base, whereupon the diverging top surface turns the cutters outwardly and upwardly to first puncture the sides .of the casing by the spaced tips 43, 44, and then shear or cut the casing by the cutting edges 42. One half of the circumference of the metal casing is thus cut away with one blow. The housing being rotated degrees,

and the housing being lifted by the coil spring, a second blow completes the cutting and severance of the upper casing portion. The severed casing portion is then easily lifted and removed.

Although I have disclosed a specific constructional fea' ture of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for cutting away unfilled metal casings of encased concrete piles, comprising a base adapted to seat on top of the concrete, said base having a downwardly outwardly slanting conical upper surface, .a shaft extending upwardly from the base, a housing slidably mounted on the shaft, spring means resiliently urging the housing upwardly on the shaft, cutting means on said housing including at least one cutter pivotally connected thereto and having a cutting edge, spring means normally turning the cutter away from cutting position, and an arcuate cam surface on the cutter adapted to engage the conical upper surface ,of the base upon downward movement of the housing and .to turn the cutter into cutting position upon downward impact on the housing.

2. In the mechanism of claim 1, said cutter having a piercing tip.

3. In the mechanism of claim 2, means for turning the housing to complete a circular cutting.

4. Mechanism for cutting away unfilled metal casings of encased concrete piles, comprising a base adapted to seat on top of the concrete, said base having a downwardly outwardly slanting conical upper surface, a shaft extending upwardly from the base, a hollow housing slidably mounted on the shaft and having a partition, said partition having an opening through which the shaft extends, spring means mounted on the shaft and engaging the partition to normally lift the housing, spaced brackets mounted in said housing and extending inwardly therefrom, cutter elements pivoted in said brackets, said cutter elements each including a metal cutter having a curved cutting edge and a lower arcuate cam surface adapted to engage the conical upper surface of the base and to turn the cutter into cutting position upon downward impact on the housing, and spring means in said housing normally holding the cutter in non-cutting P sition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,804 Baschy Sept. 24, 1895 762,458 Willard June 14, 1904 819,598 'Roatch May 1, 1906 2,485,826 'Harnick Oct. 25,1949 

